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Successful defence of man charged with Importation of over £5 million worth of Class A Drugs

27 April 2012

Edmund Burge successfully defended a man charged with being knowingly concerned in the importation of over £5 million worth of Class A & B drugs.

Ryan Castle was accused of being responsible for the collection of the drugs (heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis) from a freight yard outside Dover, and for their onward delivery to the buyer in the UK. The drugs were concealed in lead-lined and sand-filled oil drums which were part of a legitimate load being driven by Carl Haynes, who had collected the drums in Holland for delivery to the yard. Haynes worked for Ryan Castle’s brother Dean who ran a haulage business. The prosecution case focused on texts and e-mails between the defendants, the alleged buyers and suppliers, which had been found on the defendants’ phones and computers.

Dean Castle and Carl Haynes were both found guilty and were sentenced to 20 years and 17 years imprisonment respectively. Ryan Castle was acquitted of all the charges.